The present application relates in general to methods and apparatus for performing assays for disease states, and in particular to methods and apparatus for performing assays for adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
ARDS is an acute inflammatory process characterized by lung neutrophil accumulation, lung edema and progressive hypoxemia [Repine, Lancet, 339, 466-469 (1992)]. ARDS occurs as a complicating factor in patients with sepsis as well as numerous other predisposing conditions. Since many common and diverse risk factors lead to the development of ARDS, but ARDS develops only relatively rarely, pretreating everyone at risk for ARDS is not practical [Fowler et al., Ann. Intern. Med., 98, 593-597 (1983)]. Because a better understanding of ARDS is emerging and various interventions which can limit inflammation are forthcoming, it has become a major goal to identify accessible and repeatable markers in at risk patients which predict the development of ARDS. This will enable experimental therapies to be prospectively and effectively evaluated in smaller, better-defined groups of patients.